AVIS, FREDERICK AUGUSTUS WILLIAM, M. D., of Natchez, Miss., was born in Washington, Mason county, Ky.,
in the year 1802. His father was a native of Pennsylvania and his mother of New Jersey ; they emigrated to Washington in 1784. Both his
grandfathers served in the revolutionary army. He enjoyed superior educational advantages in Washington and Augusta, Ky. Having completed his general
education, he entered upon a course of study of medicine under competent direction in Augusta. At its termination he became a student of Transylvania
University, Lexington, Ky., from which, after complying with the usual conditions of study, he graduated with distinction in the spring of 1824.
Immediately after graduating he commenced the active duties of his profession in Augusta, continuing in that place for nine years. In the winter of 1833
he concluded to go South, and he located at Natchez on May 3d of that year. Here he met with even greater success than in Augusta, soon drawing around
himself a large and influential circle of patronage.

But the longer he practiced the more skeptical he became, until eventually all faith in medicine, so
far as he knew it, was lost. Too honest to continue to practice according to principles, the soundness of which he could not endorse, he abandoned his
practice, left Natchez, and proceeded to Cincinnati for the purpose of spending the summer of 1846. Having nothing with which to occupy himself,
curiosity suggested an investigation into the claims of homopathy. From Dr. Pulte he borrowed some works on the new system, and sat down to a careful
study of their contents. Following up his reading with experiments he became satisfied of the truth of homopathic principles. Thereupon he returned to
Natchez, publicly announced his conversion, and at once commenced the new practice. At first he encountered, as was to be expected, some opposition from
his former associates, but this he gradually overcame, while his success in the new practice soon secured him a large list of patients. Notwithstanding
his advanced age he still devotes himself to the relief of suffering humanity, and his long and varied experience causes his advice to be eagerly sought
by younger practitioners.